Challenge In 2006 Agilent’s genomics products hadn’t received their deserved attention in the market and our initial research revealed that Agilent lacked awareness as a credible player in this market.
Strategic Approach We identified the opportunity to reframe category benefits–emphasizing the unique strength of Agilent’s flexible platform to deliver products to the precise needs of the individual scientist—thereby positioning the market leader as inflexible and prescriptive in contrast. To establish trust and strength, we leveraged 3rd party peer-reviewed science to tell the story–including a database of papers published using Agilent’s arrays product, webcast presentations of scientists presenting their work, and podcasts of everyday breakthroughs science done with Agilent’s arrays.
Results Within one year into the campaign, Agilent’s Genomics business enjoyed a complete turnaround, contributing to an increase in Agilent’s Life Science Solutions Unit to over 25% year-over-year growth.
"The Linus Group’s Open Genomics campaign was the key driver of the explosive growth in our genomics business and also served to revolutionize how we do marketing at Agilent." fontStyle="italic" x="556" y="221" width="388" fontSize="14"/>
Bridget Fenker, Director of Marketing Communications, Agilent Technologies
Challenge When Bio-Rad approached us in the spring of 2007, they asked us to position their range of PCR products into a category dominated by a single competitor, Applied BioSystems (ABI). While they faced a rapidly commoditizing market with a wide range of products of disparate value propositions, Bio-Rad’s ultimate issue was that it was simply not known as a PCR brand.
Strategic Approach It was clear that in order to stand out in the market, we needed to categorically link Bio-Rad’s name with PCR in the minds of biologists. While ABI focused on breadth, we chose to highlight Bio-Rad’s core strength: ease. Delving deep into the product truths, we found three tangible benefits to support the new positioning: Faster PCRStreamlined workflowsWorld-class support
Results The final campaign clearly articulates the unique positioning of each product-line, turning disparate value propositions into the benefit of a wide range of choice.
Challenge As an upstart in the extremely mature HPLC market, Eksigent needed to make a name for itself. Unfortunately, its name was a big part of the problem. Cumbersome and easy to mispronounce, management tended to view the name Eksigent as a minor liability, something keeping them from effectively telling their very compelling low flow technology story.
Strategic Approach To effectively tell their technology story, while turning their name into a marketing asset, we developed the EKS campaign. Through playful misspelling of key aspirations on the part of their potential customers, we helped to ensure that the analytical markets understood the value of low flow LC, while never getting Eksigent’s name wrong again.
Results Eksigent is now a serious contender in the HPLC market with both high name and brand awareness.
Challenge As a world leader in molecular diagnostics, Roche owns the patent on real-time PCR–which has become the standard technology for detection and monitoring of a large variety of diseases.
With several competitors developing their own branding for the licensed technology, Roche needed a unified global campaign that solidified its leadership and demonstrated the value of its continued innovation among a wide array of customers –from laboratory technicians to CFO’s.
Any new campaign also required buy-in and use by all regional stakeholders. It needed to have appeal across the world.
Strategic Approach
Instead of tackling the branding of real-time PCR head on, we decided to take the higher ground more suitable to a market leader. The new strategy positioned the pragmatic benefits of the innovative CAP/CTM technology within an overall superior solution.
We then developed a global, multi-touch campaign that translated the technology proposition into tangible messages that resonated with three distinct audiences: The economic buyer (CFO, administrators), the technical buyer (laboratory directors), and the user (Laboratory technicians).
Results
To ensure adoption by all of the regional marketing personnel, the development of our new campaign began with information gathering among all the global actors and ended with a review and synthesis of feedback into the final work. The executional pieces were delivered to each regional office within a comprehensive toolkit, which contained the ability to localize them to each market.
This unified global campaign solidified Roche’s position as the innovation leader, continued to demonstrate value, and worked to manage any straying perceptions.
